German Rice Pudding: Stovetop method.
I call this version German, since it is the one heirloom recipe I can make with my eyes closed, handed down to me from my paternal grandmother, Anna Lou Voth Lohman. She cooked great vats of it during her employment as school cook of my little Lutheran grade school, and whenever I’d visit her house, she’d whip me up a batch as well.
Now that she is gone, I am the one expected to bring it to all family gatherings, and I have to triple or quadruple the batch. I’m sure none of my relatives understands just how easy I have it in the pot-luck department or I might be expected to bring the rice pudding and some newfangled hot dish. They probably think I labor over the stove, when in truth I bop up and down the stairs, stirring and adding ingredients in between the acts of bathing, dressing, and grooming.
Here, Mrs. Schaller, is the recipe:
--Put rice, salt and water in saucepan. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer (uncovered) until rice is tender and water almost gone.
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1 3/4 cup milk
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3/4 cup sugar
--Add milk and sugar. Cook over medium low heat for about 15 minutes.
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1 egg, beaten
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1 tsp vanilla
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1 tsp butter
--Add egg, vanilla, and butter. Add the egg very slowly and stir or whisk as you do so to avoid bits of scrambled egg in your pudding. Cook about 5 minutes. Mixture will thicken slightly. Pour into serving bowl, sprinkle liberally with cinnamon, and let cool.
Serves 4.
Want a little history with your pudding? (From joyofbaking.com).
In Roman times rice puddings (pottages), softened in milk (almond or cow's), were thought to cure upset stomachs. Eventually recipes for both baked and boiled rice puddings began to appear. Spices such as nutmeg and cinnamon were popular in rice puddings along with raisins and currants. Eggs were sometimes added towards the end of baking and you will still find them used in recipes today. Rice pudding recipes differ in the type of rice (long or short grain white rice, brown, basmati, jasmine), milk (whole milk, coconut milk, cream, evaporated or condensed), spices (nutmeg, cinnamon), flavorings (vanilla extract, orange or lemon zest), amount and type of sugar (white or brown), whether eggs and butter are added, to whether there should or should not be a film of top. But as Nigella Lawson states in her book "How to Eat", we do know that "definitely it shouldn't be gummy, though neither should it be watery; the rice shouldn't be too firm, but it shouldn't be mush either. And between those two extremes, there is room for intense disagreement.".
Most importantly, all rice puddings need to have a creamy texture which is accomplished through cooking the rice slowly, either on the stove or in the oven. This keeps the grains of rice separate and prevents overcooking of the rice. The rice should only be cooked till al dente, that is, still a little firm. You don't want mush. My preference is to use either long grain or short grain white rice. Long grain rice will produce a pudding that is a little drier and chewier than one made with short grain rice. You may also like to experiment with jasmine or basmati for a different flavor and texture. If the rice pudding becomes too thick after being refrigerated, simply warm it in the microwave or on the stove, adding milk or cream until it reaches the desired consistency. The film (skin) on top of the rice pudding is a matter of personal preference. Pressing plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding after it is cooked will prevent a film from forming. Leaving the rice pudding uncovered until it has cooled will produce the skin (film).
10:10:27 AM 
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